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Mis-placed 'only'.

BillyJoe

Penultimate Amazing
B
Joined
Aug 4, 2001
Messages
12,531
How often do you hear the word 'only' mis-placed in a sentence?
It should always be placed near the word it refers to.

If only people would learn how to place it properly. :cool:

BillyJoe
(edited to correct grammar :D )
 
Can this error lead to confusion? For example if you had said
If people would only learn how to place it properly.
Would it have made any difference?
 
rjh,

Does it matter if we don't spell correctly
as long as it doesn't lead to confusion?

bj
 
Both questions would have the same answer. What that answer is is a matter of opinion.

Unless someone could give a factual reason for correct spelling?

I know in some cases it does matter, like in job applications, but this forum has a few spelling errors and I have yet to see any posts where they are pointed out.
 
rjh01 said:
Can this error lead to confusion? For example if you had said
If people would only learn how to place it properly.
Would it have made any difference?
Click to expand...
Yes, it makes a difference. Consider the following:
Operate the servomotor only in emergencies.
Only operate the servomotor in emergencies.
In the first sentence, you turn ON the servomotor if an emergency occurs. In the second, the servomotor is sole device you turn ON if an emergency occurs, to the exclusion of all other devices.
 
BillyJoe said:
rjh,

Does it matter if we don't spell correctly
as long as it doesn't lead to confusion?

bj
Click to expand...
You've just shot yourself in the foot; the very purpose of orthography is to minimise the possibility of misunderstanding.
 
Kimpatsu,

Kimpatsu said:
You've just shot yourself in the foot; the very purpose of orthography is to minimise the possibility of misunderstanding.
Click to expand...
But, IF the misspelling DOESN'T lead to confusion, does it matter? THAT was my question!
And, if you want to know, it does matter to me.
Apparently to rjh it doesn't matter.

You, on the other hand, choose to answer a different question?

BJ
 
Kimpatsu said:
Yes, it makes a difference. Consider the following:
Operate the servomotor only in emergencies.
Only operate the servomotor in emergencies.
In the first sentence, you turn ON the servomotor if an emergency occurs. In the second, the servomotor is sole device you turn ON if an emergency occurs, to the exclusion of all other devices.
Click to expand...
:D:D:D

Is it....

Only operate the servomotor in emergencies. :nope:

OR

Operate only the servomotor in emergencies. :)



Think about it, Kimpy.
And I hope you have a friend who can take you to hospital before gangrene sets in. :D

BJ
 
BillyJoe said:
Kimpatsu,

But, IF the misspelling DOESN'T lead to confusion, does it matter? THAT was my question!
And, if you want to know, it does matter to me.
Apparently to rjh it doesn't matter.

You, on the other hand, choose to answer a different question?

BJ
Click to expand...
Misspellings inevitably lead to confusion.
 
BillyJoe said:
:D:D:D

Is it....

Only operate the servomotor in emergencies. :nope:

OR

Operate only the servomotor in emergencies. :)



Think about it, Kimpy.
And I hope you have a friend who can take you to hospital before gangrene sets in. :D

BJ
Click to expand...
I think my sense of humour has already rotted away because of your poisonous personality.
And I'm not "Kimpy". Either call me Kimpatsu (it's only three syllables, after all), or address me as "Master", "Lord", or "Your Highness". You may also refer to yourself as "Unworthy" or "Most Stupid".
I have spoken...
 
Kimpatsu ( :( ),

Kimpatsu said:
Misspellings inevitably lead to confusion.
Click to expand...
And, if I said that mispellings do not necessarily lead to confusion, would you be confused as to what I meant to say?

BJ
 
Kimpatsu said:
I think my sense of humour has already rotted away because of your poisonous personality.
And I'm not "Kimpy". Either call me Kimpatsu (it's only three syllables, after all), or address me as "Master", "Lord", or "Your Highness". You may also refer to yourself as "Unworthy" or "Most Stupid".
I have spoken...
Click to expand...
But you don't listen.
(I am not "Unworthy" or "Most Stupid", I am.....read my sig. :D )

BJ
 
BillyJoe said:
Kimpatsu ( :( ),

And, if I said that mispellings do not necessarily lead to confusion, would you be confused as to what I meant to say?

BJ
Click to expand...
If you said that mispeelings do not necescelery lead to confusion, I would ask if you were also serving new potatoes.
 
Will all parties please define the word misspelling. As an aid to the answer think about the following questions.

Which word of each pair is a misspelling? Hint: The first is how Americans spell the word; the second is how the British (and I) spell the word.

Color / Colour
Theater / Theatre
Fall / Autumn (meaning a season of year)
Skeptic / Sceptic

As for the servomotor, I would hope any additional operations needed to be performed would be specified in the instructions. In both sets of instructions, it is turned on. Always consider the context.
 
Kimpatsu said:
If you said that mispeelings do not necescelery lead to confusion, I would ask if you were also serving new potatoes.
Click to expand...
Ah, Klever Kimpatsu ( :( ). It's Klear to me ;) you are not a KOMPLETE :D idiot.

BJ
 
Kimpatsu said:
Yes, it makes a difference. Consider the following:
Operate the servomotor only in emergencies.
Only operate the servomotor in emergencies.
In the first sentence, you turn ON the servomotor if an emergency occurs. In the second, the servomotor is sole device you turn ON if an emergency occurs, to the exclusion of all other devices.
Click to expand...
In the building I work in there used to be a sign in one of the restrooms that read:
"Put paper towels ONLY in the waste receptacle." It looks like they meant don't throw the paper towels on the floor or in the toilets, but I knew that what they really meant was "Put ONLY paper towels in the waste receptacle," even though that's not what the sign said.
I know of a tatoo parlor with a sign in the window: "No one will be tatooed under the age of 18." It reminds me of that Groucho Marx line in Animal Crackers, No trains will be sold until after the magazine leaves the depot.
 
Psi Baba,

Didn't you ever feel the urge to add a couple of commas to the sign?

BJ
 
IS ROLFE QUILTY OF THE MIS-PLACED 'ALSO'?

Originally posted by Rolfe:

1).....a cat will only shed oocysts for about two weeks in its entire life, if it gets infected.
2).....freshly-passed oocysts are not infective, they are only infective after 24 hours have elapsed after the faeces were passed.
3).....these rules have only been recommended for pregnant women.....

And does it matter?

BJ


[edit: found another one. :( ]
 
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